This Was Not An Unnecessary Precaution As I Was
Informed That They Had Actually Laid A Plan For Eloping; But The Rest Of
The Men, Knowing That Their Own Safety Would Have Been Compromised Had
They Succeeded, Kept A Watchful Eye Over Them.
We knew that the dread of
the Esquimaux would prevent these men from leaving us as soon as the
Indians were at a distance, and we trusted to their becoming reconciled
to the journey when once the novelty of a sea voyage had worn off.
DEPARTURE OF THE INDIAN HUNTERS. ARRANGEMENTS MADE WITH THEM FOR OUR
RETURN.
July 18.
As the Indians persevered in their determination of setting out this
morning I reminded them, through Mr. Wentzel and St. Germain, of the
necessity of our having the deposit of provision made at Fort Enterprise,
and received a renewed assurance of their attending to that point. They
were also desired to put as much meat as they could en cache on the banks
of the Copper-Mine River on their return. We then furnished them with
what ammunition we could spare and they took their departure promising to
wait three days for Mr. Wentzel at the Copper Mountains. We afterwards
learned that their fears did not permit them to do so, and that Mr.
Wentzel did not rejoin them until they were a day's march to the
southward of the mountains.
We embarked at five A.M. and proceeded towards the sea which is about
nine miles beyond the Bloody Fall.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 470 of 649
Words from 126957 to 127209
of 176017
